NRB Opens Like the Wind, Literally

Photo by John Bisset Sometimes a convention can feel like a whirlwind. But that phrase is not supposed to be taken literally.

Early arrivals to the National Religious Broadcasters convention at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville had some excitement Thursday evening when a tornado warning was activated.

Radio World contributor John Bisset is at the show with his employer Tieline. He snapped the accompanying photo.

“All guests were quickly and efficiently shepherded into the lower basement of the Gaylord complex,” he tells us. “Staff even set up chairs for everyone to sit in comfort.”

The National Weather Service in Nashville issued the tornado warning at 9:34 p.m. Central Time, along with a requested EAS activation, after spotting a severe thunderstorm on its Doppler radar.

“Some severe damage south and east of us, but looks like we were OK,” Bisset adds today. “The Radisson across the street lost power and bussed all their guests to this hotel. Gaylord owns the Radisson too. A lot of people in their jammies.”

NRB executive Craig Parshall told Radio World later on Friday: "No problems. The storm rattled the roof of the convention center a little, and a general alarm was sounded, but no real damage or interruption here at the convention."